Tendril Anatomy: A Tool for Correct Identification among Cucurbitaceous Taxa

• Published in: Plants (Basel) 2022-11, Vol.11 (23), p.3273
• Main Authors: Abbas, Naveed, Zafar, Muhammad, Ahmad, Mushtaq, Althobaiti, Ashwaq T, Ramadan, Mohamed Fawzy, Makhkamov, Trobjon, Gafforov, Yusufjon, Khaydarov, Khislat, Kabir, Muhammad, Sultana, Shazia, Majeed, Salman, Batool, Tajalla
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anatomy; Biology; Clustering; Cucurbitaceae; Diameters; Epidermis; Fruits; Genera; Identification and classification; Leaves; micromorphology; Morphology; Parenchyma; Phenetics; Plant anatomy; Plant physiology; Taxa; Taxonomic significance; Taxonomy; vessel elements; Vines
• ISSN: 2223-7747; 2223-7747
• DOI: 10.3390/plants11233273

This research examined the histological micro-structure of tendril vasculature in cucurbitaceous taxa. In this research, the tendril anatomy of 17 taxa of Cucurbitaceae categorized into seven genera, including (five species), and (three species each), Citrullus and Momordica (two species each) while Lagenaria and Praecitrullus (one species each), collected from different areas of the Thal desert were examined via microscopic imaging to explore its taxonomic significance. Tendril transverse sections were cut with a Shandon Microtome to prepare slides. The distinctive characteristics of taxonomic value (qualitative and quantitative) include tendril and vascular bundle shape, variation in the number of vascular bundles, tendril diameter length, layers of sclerenchyma, and shape of collenchyma and epidermal cells. Tendril shapes observed are irregular, slightly oval-shaped, slightly C shaped, angular (4-angled, 6-angled, or polygonal), and star shaped. Quantitative measurements were taken to analyze the data statistically using SPSS software. had a maximum tendril diameter length of 656.1 µm and a minimum in 123.05 µm. The highest number of vascular bundles (12) were noticed in var type was prominent in collenchyma, and irregular shape was dominant in sclerenchyma cells. A maximum of seven to nine sclerenchyma layers were present in and a minimum of two or three layers in subsp. , var. , and var. Epidermis cells also show great variations with a rectangular shape being dominant. Statistical UPGMA dendrogram clustering of tendril vasculature traits shows that histological sections studied with microscopic techniques can be used to identify species and will play a vital role in future taxonomic and phylogenic linkages.